Lamar Johnson, a man from St. Louis, Missouri, were imprisoned for nearly 30 years earlier than he used to be in spite of everything launched in February 2023. In a thorough investigation, “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty delves into the case, interviewing for the primary time the witness who helped convict Johnson – a witness who claimed to had been coerced by means of legislation enforcement into figuring out Johnson as probably the most killers.
Johnson used to be convicted of first-degree homicide and sentenced to lifestyles with out parole in 1995 for the taking pictures of Markus Boyd on his entrance porch. Johnson, who were 21 on the time of the incident in 1994, insisted on his innocence, mentioning, “I know the truth. I know that I didn’t kill Markus.”
During his interview with Moriarty in 2021, Johnson used to be requested how he stored hope alive after spending such a lot of years in jail. He answered, “I don’t have a choice…I know the truth. I know that I didn’t kill Markus.”
Johnson grew up in a South Side group in St. Louis that used to be plagued by means of prime crime and murder charges. Despite this, Johnson controlled to stick out of significant bother, running at Jiffy Lube whilst attending neighborhood school. However, he did have interaction in a bad aspect hustle, promoting small quantities of crack cocaine for more cash.
Johnson’s just right pal, Markus Boyd, had additionally began a circle of relatives and held down a solid activity at a printing corporate. However, he, too, offered medicine at the aspect. On the night of October 30, 1994, Boyd used to be shot to dying by means of two gunmen on his St. Louis porch. Greg Elking, a pal and occasional buyer of Boyd’s, witnessed the taking pictures and used to be the one eyewitness to the homicide.
Elking described the occasions of that night to Moriarty, announcing that he and Boyd had been sitting on Boyd’s entrance porch when two males emerged from a within reach pathway, carrying darkish clothes and mask. The males rushed up the porch steps, and one in every of them attacked Boyd whilst the opposite held Elking at gunpoint. The shooters had been dark-skinned black males, and even though Elking handiest noticed one in every of their faces in short, he famous that he had black eyes. After taking pictures Boyd more than one occasions, the lads fled the scene, sparing Elking.
Within days of Boyd’s homicide, police tracked down Elking for information. Although he first of all did not need to talk, he used to be satisfied to take action by means of lead investigator Joe Nickerson, in whom he positioned nice believe. Elking admitted that he did not get a just right have a look at the suspects, however Nickerson confirmed him a number of footage and one stood out.
According to investigators, Boyd’s female friend first of all suspected Johnson of the homicide, because the longtime pals had in all probability fallen out. This suspicion used to be sufficient to suggested investigators to interrogate Johnson, who forwent his proper to an lawyer.
In conclusion, this tragic match serves as a reminder of the significance of a honest and thorough investigation in prison instances. Had there been extra concrete proof to reinforce Johnson’s guilt past the accusation of a suspicious female friend and the coerced testimony of a unmarried witness, a man can have been spared from a wrongful imprisonment that lasted virtually 3 a long time.